For any car owner, their car is their prized possession! And hence, it should be well taken care of.

Timely cleaning of the vehicle lets the paint and the body last longer, and while looking for automotive maintenance services, you need to find a business that you can trust.

Factors that make an auto repair or maintenance shop reliable:
1 Credentials of the business.
The first thing you should know about an automotive shop is how long it’s been in the business. You can also look for reviews about the business on the internet or on their social media channels to find out if their services have been appreciated by other people.

2 Get an estimate.
Always ask for an estimate for the services you are looking for before you decide. It’s important to shop around and do your due diligence as you don’t want to end up paying more than what’s required. Get a few estimates from the automotive shops in the nearby areas and then decide which shop fits your needs the best. A trustworthy business will not have any problems in carefully explaining to you and providing you with the breakdown of all the services needed for your vehicle to make it like brand new or at least in good working condition.

For example, if you are looking to get some cash in return for your old car, make sure they will pay you the right price for your vehicle. Selling a car privately is quite different than selling a house privately for cash. You can easily get a rough estimate of the value of your home by checking an MLS listing or other similar houses on sale in the neighbourhoods; however, since there are so many makes and models of vehicles and the vehicle conditions also impact the price, it is harder to get the price of a junk or used car for sale. You can go around looking for an auto dealer for old cars and see which of them can provide you with a better price and then decide.

3 Find out about parts that will be used.
The variations in estimates usually occur because of the type of spare parts used in your car. Is it an original or an aftermarket part? The lowest estimate may not always be the best. For example, an after-market product versus an original product can make a huge price difference. Hourly labour costs based on experience and certification can differ greatly as well. If, for example, you are looking for a car detailing shop, you should find out if they are using toxic or environmentally friendly products. If your vehicle needs paint protection, you can ask them how long it will last and if the paint protection film will match the current paint. You can also find out how many coats of paint and clear coat will be applied to your car.

4 Find out about the service warranty.
You don’t want to break your bank, but at the same time, you want a quality job done at a fair price. So ask them how long is their warranty? What happens if you are not happy with the service? Will they stand behind their work? The minimum warranty requirement should be up to a year if the business has repaired or replaced any parts for your car, painted your car. A car wash is different than a car repair shop.

5 Check their online reviews.
Online reviews play a big role in convincing customers whether a business should be trusted or not. Make sure to check what others are saying about the business online. You can do so by checking out their website to see if they have posted any client testimonials. Another way to do so is to check their Google My Business listing and their social media channels to see if their customers have dropped positive comments regarding the services they have received from the business previously.

6 Do they have safety measures and precautions in place for COVID-19?
Our lives have been turned upside down this past year due to the pandemic, and there is no denying that it has been a tremendous struggle for people to adjust to the new norms and safety measures. Every business must take the necessary precautions for the safety of their staff and customers. Make sure the business you are going to has been taking the required safety measures for COVID-19. For example, this car wash and detailing shop in Calgary has added more precautionary steps to help protect their staff and customers, including services being provided by appointments only and a disinfection and sanitization procedure all vehicles.

Never settle for less!
Your first choice might look captivating and make you lazy to do more research. Some shops will give you different opinions concerning your auto-mobile services, while others will have standardized options, and hence, it is important to look around.

Do not get persuaded into buying cheap services and products for your car since it is your valued possession. Look for a business that will charge you an affordable price for the quality and reliable services, since quality and cost go hand in hand.

Whether it is a repair shop, car wash or a junk car buyer, the above factors will help you determine the right shop for your requirements.

Thank you for this informative article.